1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to content broadcasting technology, and more particularly to a broadcast receiver, data structure, and method for providing diagnostic information.
2. Background
Generally, a broadcast system may include a broadcasting station transmitting contents through wired (e.g., telephone or cable) or wireless (e.g., cellular or satellite) network and at least one host, such as a broadcast receiver, that receives the contents. The broadcast receiver may include a built-in communication interface. Where the broadcast receiver does not have a built-in communication interface, a communication card may be used by the broadcast receiver in order to interface with the broadcasting station.
In the case of cable broadcasting, a cable broadcast system can be divided into a cable broadcast station that transmits cable broadcasts and a cable broadcast receiver that receives cable broadcasts. The cable broadcast station is generally referred to as a System Operator (SO) headend or a Multiple System Operator (MSO) headend. The SO is a local cable/TV broadcast provider and the MSO is a group of system operators.
The cable broadcast receiver may be a digital built-in TV, a digital ready TV, etc. The cable broadcast receiver may adopt an open cable mode and may use a cable card or a Point Of Deployment (POD) module that may include a Conditional Access (CA) system. Alternatively, the cable broadcast receiver may have a built-in module that is a functional equivalent of the cable card. In this instance, the cable broadcast receiver may receive a CA system, in a form of a software, that is downloadable from the SO or MSO and stored in a memory of the cable broadcast receiver. The downloadable software is usually referred to as downloadable conditional access system (DCAS). As such, the cable broadcast receiver may have a configuration that may or may not require a separate cable card.
Where a cable card is required, the cable card may use a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) standard in order to interface with the cable broadcast receiver. The cable card may be inserted in a slot provided at the cable broadcast receiver.
FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary cable broadcast network. Referring to FIG. 1, a cable headend or plant may receive broadcast signals, for example, from a television broadcast station via a variety of communication networks. The cable headend may deliver cable broadcasts to cable broadcast receivers, where some of the cable broadcast receivers may include cable cards and some may have built-in modules, via a network including nodes. A cable broadcast receiver may receive and transmit signals to and from the cable headend via a cable network that allows bidirectional data communication.
The cable broadcast receiver may be connected to one or more peripheral devices (for example, a digital television, a DVD player, a digital camera, and a set-top box) through various types of interfaces. Alternatively, the cable broadcast receiver may have these one or more peripheral devices built in.